When Should The American Flag Be Flown At Half Staff? [POLL]

Following the recent shootings in Chattanooga, TN that involved the loss of 4 marines, a lot of debate has gone around social media about flying the American flag at half staff.

Many are furious as to why President Obama has not ordered this to be done. The flags at the U.S. Capitol are flying at half-staff by order of House Speaker John Boehner, but there has been no change in the status of the White House flags.

So, that raises an important question, when should the American flag be flown at half staff?

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs:

An easy way to remember when to fly the United States flag at half-staff is to consider when the whole nation is in mourning. These periods of mourning are proclaimed either by the president of the United States, for national remembrance, or the governor of a state or territory, for local remembrance, in the event of a death of a member or former member of the federal, state or territorial government or judiciary. The heads of departments and

agencies of the federal government may also order that the flag be flown at half-staff on buildings, grounds and naval vessels under their jurisdiction. On Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes.

The flag should fly at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval

vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death

of the president or a former president. It is tofly 10 days at half-staff after the death of the vice president, the chief justice or a retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the speaker of the House of Representatives. For an associate

justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former vice president, the

president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority

leader of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or the minority leader of the House of Representatives the flag is to be displayed at half-staff from the day of death until interment. The flag is to be flown at half-staff at all federal buildings, grounds and naval vessels in the Washington, D.C., area on the day and day after the death of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate, or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It should also be flown at half-staff on all federal

facilities in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of these officials.

Upon the death of the governor of a state, territory or possession, the flag should be

flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in that governor’s state, territory or possession

from the day of death until interment. The president may order the flag to be flown at half-staff to mark the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries.

In addition to these occasions, the president may order half-staff display of the flag after other tragic events.

The flag should be briskly run up to the top of the staff before being lowered slowly to the half-staff position.

In entertainment news, just to clear up the rumor, President Obama did NOT order flags at half-staff when Whitney Houston died. Gov. Chris Christie made that order.

Take the poll. We want to know what you think.

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Categories: Opinion, Poll